𝑩𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝑺𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒔 | ᵀᵂᴰ

17: How is that possible?

"Dale could– could get under your skin. He sure got under mine because he wasn't afraid to say exactly what he thought, how he felt." Rick said. "That kind of honesty is rare and brave. Whenever I'd make a decision. I'd look at Dale. He'd be looking back at me with that look he had. We've all seen it one time or another."

"I couldn't always read him, but he could read us. He saw people for who they were. He knew things about us– the truth, who we really are. In the end, he was talking about losing our humanity."

"He said this group was broken. The best way to honor him is to unbreak it. Set aside our differences and pull together, stop feeling sorry for ourselves, and take control of our lives, our safety... our future. We're not broken. We're gonna prove him wrong. From now on, we're gonna do it his way. That is how we honor Dale."

➳

"Well, it'll be tight. Fifteen people in one house." Rick said.

"Don't worry about that." Hershel said. "With the swamp hardening, the creek drying up..."

"With fifty head of cattle on the property, we might as well be ringing a damn dinner bell." Maggie said. "She's right. We should've moved you in a while ago." Hershel said. "Alright, let's move the vehicles near each of the doors facing out towards the road. We'll build a lookout in the windmill, another in the barn loft. That should give us sightlines both sides of the property." Rick said. "T-Dog, you take the perimeter around the house. Keep track of everyone coming and going."

"What about standing guard?" T-Dog asked. "Well, I need you and Daryl on double duty." Rick said. "Gotcha."

"I'll stock the basement with food and water, enough that we can all survive there a few days if need be." Hershel said.

"What about patrols?" Andrea asked. "Let's get this area locked down first. After that, Shane'll assign shifts while me, Daryl, and Isabela take Randall offsite and cut him loose." Rick said.

" 'mon." Daryl said, grabbed the bottom of my right sleeve. We walked over to his bike. I opened the side pouch and rummaged around.

"What're ya lookin' for?" He asked.

"My gun." I answered. "Where'd you put it?" "Nowhere. I didn't touch it." Daryl climbed onto the bike and then offered his hand for help. I took it before climbing on.

We rode down to the barn Randall was in, and I helped Daryl board up the open or broken patches on the roof.

➳

"Take him out to Senoia– hour there, hour back, give or take. We may lose the light, but we'll be halfway home by then." Rick said. "This little pain 'n the ass will be a distant memory. Good riddance." Daryl said. "Carol's putting together some provisions for him, enough to last a few days." Rick said. Shane drove up to the house.

"That thing you did last night–" Rick said, trying not to mention Dale. "Ain't no reason you should do all the heavy liftin'." Daryl replied. Rick nodded. "So, are you good with all this?" He asked. Daryl took the map. "I don't see us trading haymakers on the side of the road. Nobody'd win that fight." Daryl said.

Shane got out of the car and headed towards us. Daryl threw the map over to Rick. "I'm gonna take a piss." He said. "I'm gonna see if Carol's done prepping." I said.

We walked away and let them be. "Neither of us want anything to do with him, huh?" I asked. "Nope." Daryl responded.

➳

"Only got so many arrows." T-Dog said, walking over to Daryl and I.

"Is that Dale's gun?" Daryl asked, taking it. "Yeah." T-Dog replied. Daryl handed it to me. "I wish I knew what the hell happened to mine." I said. T-Dog closed the truckbed.